St. Mary’s Franciscan Shelter for Homeless Families
As sunlight lessens daily, and clouds pervade where once we noted brightness, we might take on a gloomy outlook.
Perhaps you have read or heard about Raphael. Some of you have met him at the Shelter, or at our Fifteenth Anniversary Dinner where he spoke of his life’s journey to our friends and benefactors.
He came to our area from Puerto Rico and arrived at our Shelter in 1998. He and his sons were pleasant and cooperative and he was a diligent worker. In fact, while he stayed with us, he earned several raises because he was so careful and precise in his job.
He moved from the Shelter to public housing, and continued to advance at work and increase his earnings. He found a wonderful girl and married her, and they moved up to renting a house. Soon they added a tiny daughter to their family.
Raphael and Jennifer “dreamed” of a home of their own. Rather than continue paying rent and owning nothing, they decided to work as much as possible, save as much as possible, and look for an affordable house. All these plans came together and they made settlement and moved into their own home as of May 2003! From homeless to homeowner in about 5 years!
In September 2003, the unthinkable happened. Raphael suffered a stroke! Since he was only 43, the doctors searched for the caused and found a hole in his heart. The hole was repaired but he was unable to work for over a year. Daughter number two was delivered in late December and the family struggled to meet their growing needs.
The Shelter mounted a campaign of assistance to meet the mortgage payments, which continued to fall due. The Shelter asked for and received contributions to “Aid for Families.” The Shelter was able to help the family meet mortgage payments for one year.
Reading this narrative serves to inspire in many ways. It makes us grateful for our own health and good fortune. It shows us the courage and perseverance of a family against formidable conditions and such a struggle convinces us that we can win our small battles too. The help the Shelter has received from its loyal friends and benefactors has been very generous and its reception has made us feel once again how lucky we are to have friends that we have. Next Case Study…
